How many players have played at a higher level than 99-00, 00-01 Shaq?

[ceiling raiser]

Seriously, if you go back and watch those two seasons, the man was playing on another level entirely. There are a number of players who I have seen play at an incredible level, but this brand of dominance in a back-to-back title run was something else (01-02 was a half step down IMO).

Very few people can you say had no peers in the league when they were at their best.

[BadWolf]

His peak might be best ever, so...

[LAL1947]

Probably only Jordan was more dominant... but it doesn't matter cos Shaq is a dynasty destroyer from within.

With the benefit of hindsight, we should have traded his lazy ass to Minnesota for KG immediately after 2000-01. They wouldn't have said no... and might have even given us another player in the trade, like Chauncey Billups. Then the Lakers would have won every single title from 2001-02 to 2009-10. So with the 2 titles in 1999-00 and 2000-01, we could have had an 11-peat!

Chauncey
Kobe
Insert 3&D here
Insert PF here
KG

[Raps in 4]

Not many.

[Blame Rasho]

Don't care. Shaq is a dynasty destroyer. With the benefit of hindsight, we should have traded his lazy ass to Minnesota for KG immediately after 2000-01. They wouldn't have said no... and might have even given us another player in the trade, like Chauncey Billups. Then the Lakers would have won every single title from 2001-02 to 2009-10.

You make some of the most agenda driven posts. It so funny and laughable.

[ty 4191]

Jokic 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 played at (at least) a comprable level. If not better.

Jokic last 161 games including playoffs:

27.0/12.3/7.8 on .569 shooting with .359 from three (on high volume) and 83.7 FT%.

Jokic did all this while only playing 34 MPG; Shaq was allowed to play 40 MPG those years, before they severely truncated superstar MPG.

The league is also much deeper today than circa 2000. 25% international players vs about 4% in 2000. And, no Expansion since 2004, either.

[LAL1947]

You make some of the most agenda driven posts. It so funny and laughable.

Just giving Ceiling Raiser a lil taste of his own medicine, since he's a Shaq-lover. Why do you think he opens up all those anti-Kobe threads? In any case, I have spoken ze truth and nuthin' but ze truth.

[Rastas]

59 to 65 Wilt (7 seasons)

Worst of those seasons was a 33/24 season
Best season was a lazy 50/25 season

Shaq was freaken great , but Wilt was GOAT

[DusterBuster]

59 to 65 Wilt (7 seasons)

Worst of those seasons was a 33/24 season
Best season was a lazy 50/25 season

Shaq was freaken great , but Wilt was GOAT

This. Unparalleled dominance.

Shaq was still incredible those years tho.

Also love the Jokic fanboys always need to chirp in lol. Great stats, but Jokic is not on Shaq’s level. Numbers are great, but it’s what those number do to the rest of the league. Wilt got rings, Shaq got rings, Jokic can’t get to the WCF.

[BobbyPortisEyes]

I personally haven't seen anyone play at a higher level in my lifetime. But I'm guessing late 80's/early 90's MJ and Wilt.

What about Kareem.. maybe some old guy here could comment on that?

[iqureshi]

Jokic 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 played at (at least) a comprable level. If not better.

Jokic last 161 games including playoffs:

27.0/12.3/7.8 on .569 shooting with .359 from three (on high volume) and 83.7 FT%.

Jokic did all this while only playing 34 MPG; Shaq was allowed to play 40 MPG those years, before they severely truncated superstar MPG.

The league is also much deeper today than circa 2000. 25% international players vs about 4% in 2000. And, no Expansion since 2004, either.

No man, Jokic was efficient. Shaq was dominant. Efficiency and dominance aren't the same thing. Jokic doesn't scare anyone, or inspire rule changes, or have defensive strategies named after him.

[formula 400]

Jokic 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 played at (at least) a comprable level. If not better.

Jokic last 161 games including playoffs:

27.0/12.3/7.8 on .569 shooting with .359 from three (on high volume) and 83.7 FT%.

Jokic did all this while only playing 34 MPG; Shaq was allowed to play 40 MPG those years, before they severely truncated superstar MPG.

The league is also much deeper today than circa 2000. 25% international players vs about 4% in 2000. And, no Expansion since 2004, either.

prime shaq was an unstoppable train, a freaking human earthquake that destroyed everybody. your STILL mad he wiped out all your teams. jokic has won what again? what a deep tough era that you claim jokic plays game is in!!! absolutely no one on a jokic-led roster in this modern era is scaring a prime shaq or the 99-00 or 00-01 lakers team. stop selling us your jokic crap. he's sitting home again while in his prime of cupcakes.

[CraftylikeaFox]

He wasn't as dominant, but I'll never forget that in 2007 Lebron James took a Cavs team whose second best player was Larry Hughes to the NBA finals. You look at that entire roster and I'm not sure there is another player in NBA history that gets that Cavs team to the finals, they were awful.

[FuShengTHEGreat]

Seriously, if you go back and watch those two seasons, the man was playing on another level entirely. There are a number of players who I have seen play at an incredible level, but this brand of dominance in a back-to-back title run was something else (01-02 was a half step down IMO).

Very few people can you say had no peers in the league when they were at their best.

Amongst big men historically i think were a bit better:

93-95 Olajuwon

73-74 & 76-77 Kareem

01-03 Duncan

And I disagree with the no peers comment. Duncan could match Shaq production wise in a playoff series in that era. He actually led the inferior Spurs to more wins in 00-01 that you bring up.

In fact the Lakers were a complete joke on defense in the regular season despite the presence of peak Shaq and a talented roster overall (they added sturdy veteran Horace Grant at PF). You would NEVER see the versions of big men I posted anchoring a team that ranked 21st in Dtrg.

It's quite telling Shaq's role on offense had to change ever so slightly when Duncan was on the floor whereas he absolutely butchered everyone else in sight during that span

I don't even believe Duncan got outperformed by Shaq in the 01 series. It's just that Kobe and the entire Lakers roster was red hot and Duncan had 0 help.

[Dangit]

Not many .... and it's absurd he doesn't get brought up In the greatest of all time discussion ..

[CharityStripe34]

Only a handful. And it's a handful of the players ranked ahead of him all-time (Jordan, LeBron, Kareem, Wilt, Duncan). Could argue Greek Freak is currently having a comparable peak of dominance (relative to the era).

[HEAT33]

He wasn't as dominant, but I'll never forget that in 2007 Lebron James took a Cavs team whose second best player was Larry Hughes to the NBA finals. You look at that entire roster and I'm not sure there is another player in NBA history that gets that Cavs team to the finals, they were awful.

Yeah but the East was so weak that people were calling the NBA to scrap the East and West and have the top 16 teams in the playoffs.

Those East years were brutal

[skones]

You make some of the most agenda driven posts. It so funny and laughable.

Just giving Ceiling Raiser a lil taste of his own medicine, since he's a Shaq-lover. Why do you think he opens up all those anti-Kobe threads? In any case, I have spoken ze truth and nuthin' but ze truth.

This isn't an 'anti Kobe' thread. Your sensitivity to the matter is showing.

[LAL1947]

This isn't an 'anti Kobe' thread. Your sensitivity to the matter is showing.

I never said this one was.

He wasn't as dominant, but I'll never forget that in 2007 Lebron James took a Cavs team whose second best player was Larry Hughes to the NBA finals. You look at that entire roster and I'm not sure there is another player in NBA history that gets that Cavs team to the finals, they were awful.

Yeah but the East was so weak that people were calling the NBA to scrap the East and West and have the top 16 teams in the playoffs.

Those East years were brutal

Agreed, haha. I think Kobe could have done the same thing in the East in 2006-07 also. The Cavs faced the Wizards and the Nets before losing to the Pistons in the ECF. We had a worse team and win-loss record than the Cavs in 2006-07 regular season... Lakers (42-40) vs Cavs (50-32)... but managed to have a winning record against the Wiz and Nets.

Lakers vs Wizards
Home: Lost in OT, 141 - 147
Away: Won, 118 - 102

Lakers vs Nets
Home: Won, 99 - 95
Away: Won, 99 - 93

[Infinite Llamas]

59 to 65 Wilt (7 seasons)

Worst of those seasons was a 33/24 season
Best season was a lazy 50/25 season

Shaq was freaken great , but Wilt was GOAT

This. Unparalleled dominance.

Shaq was still incredible those years tho.

Also love the Jokic fanboys always need to chirp in lol. Great stats, but Jokic is not on Shaq’s level. Numbers are great, but it’s what those number do to the rest of the league. Wilt got rings, Shaq got rings, Jokic can’t get to the WCF.

Cool. Now tell me how many rings Shaq has without an HOF guard playing alongside him. I’d assume Jokic has a championship or two playing alongside prime Kobe or Wade at this point. This is why the rings argument is stupid without context. Shaq wouldn’t win a thing if his #2 was Will freaking Barton either.